Blackpool manager sacked with club taking just one point since November during
a run of nine defeats in 10 games

Paul Ince’s stormy 11 month-reign at Blackpool is over after he was sacked by the Championship club on Tuesday, with his son Thomas’s future now appearing increasingly uncertain.

Ince has been dismissed after a disastrous run of results and Everton and Monaco are both expected to take advantage by making firm offers for the former manager’s son in the next few days.

The England Under-21 international rejected an £8 million move to Cardiff City in the summer but the acrimonious departure of his father, who has also operated as his closest adviser, is set to accelerate his departure from Bloomfield Road.

Swansea City and Crystal Palace have also made inquiries for the winger since the transfer window opened this month but it is believed that Ince’s signature is a straight fight between Everton and the French club.

Ince Snr’s exit was finally confirmed on Tuesday afternoon, less than 48 hours after the 46-year-old had held crisis talks with the club’s controversial chairman Karl Oyston.

Blackpool were in contention for promotion after an impressive start to this season but an alarming run of nine defeats in the past 10 games has seen them plummet down the table.

Three men were sent off in the defeat at Yeovil and two more were given their marching orders in a 5-1 thrashing to Derby four days later.

The situation only got worse this month with Ince forced to return five loanees to their parent clubs and then fining striker Michael Chopra for his outburst on Twitter in which he complained only six players and a fitness coach were present at training.

Ince’s influence on his son’s future is also believed to have concerned Oyston, while it was even suggested that the pair met representatives from Monaco two days before their 2-0 defeat at Barnsley last weekend.

The former England captain’s exit was confirmed in a brief statement on Blackpool’s website. It read: “Blackpool Football Club can confirm that manager Paul Ince and assistants Alex Rae and Steve Thompson have had their contracts terminated with immediate effect. Barry Ferguson will take charge of training when the players return on Thursday.”

Ferguson, the former Scotland international, is an admired member of the club’s dressing room and is expected to take charge of the team for the visit of Doncaster on Saturday.

Oyston had admitted before the announcement that he was growing increasingly frustrated with the club’s dramatic loss of form.

He said: “You can’t be on the run we are on and not question the future of the manager. I think we all have to look at ourselves and our role in what’s going on to see what we can do to arrest the problems. We have to assess everything, every option.

“It’s pretty clear to anyone involved at the club that things aren’t good. We are on a horrendous run and we need players. The message is we can’t carry on like this, otherwise we’ll end up back in League One. That would be a horrific shame as we have some very good players. We have the ability and desire to bring in some new players. We can’t do that unless we are given a list of players we need.”

The likely sale of prized asset Ince is certain to damage their chances of a revival, however, and his exit should happen before the transfer window closes a week on Friday.